Knightfall
by batfangirl
Summary: Post TDK. After riding away at the end of the movie, what happened to Batman next? Did he make it back to Alfred to be "patched up" again, or did Alfred force him to go to the hospital? Background story to I Find Peace. Bruce/OC. Rated for voilence. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N. Hello my fellow readers! Welcome to my new story, Knightfall. This story is a background story to my one-shot I Find Peace. Don't worry, it's not necessary to read I Find Peace first, although if you want to then that's perfectly fine with me ;) Please review if you do. This _will_ be a multi-chapter story! Now enough of me, enjoy the story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman Begins/ Dark Knight or anything of the Batman characters.**

_You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain._

Those words kept bouncing around the walls of my mind as I raced away on my newly formed "Batpod" as Alfred had called it. I could hear the shrill sound of sirens far behind me; it was almost as if they were headed in the opposite direction of me. The sound of barking dogs had long since faded.

As had my adrenaline rush.

The pain that it had been masking began to creep its way back into my senses with full force. The bullet that had pierced my armor had also pierced my skin, bringing with it a sharp sting of lingering pain. Joker's dogs had found purchase to my skin through the cracks of my suit with their razor-like teeth. I've had enough broken bones in my life to know that my fall with Harvey had broken my ribs and something in my arm. Then, of course, there were the injuries that the Joker had inflicted with his lead pipe. I also had a pounding headache, which strangely annoyed me the most out of all of my injuries.

I squinted my eyes against the glaring lights of Gotham in an attempt to force my headache to go away. My broken arm hung limp at my side, making controlling the batpod difficult. How am I going to explain this to Alfred?

The ear of my cowl buzzed. _Speak of the devil… _With much effort on my part, I raised my broken arm to press the button that would accept the transmission. My good arm instinctively locked up when pain shot through my left arm, making the front tire wobble. No, I must keep focus! Using my many years of training with Ra's al Ghul, I focused my mind elsewhere. Oh look, a bird…

"Alfred," I grunted in greeting. For some reason I had a feeling that this conversation would end in an argument; I know I'll lose.

"Good evening Master Bruce," Alfred's crisp British accent ran through my cowl. I smiled slightly through the pain. It seems that he will never call me anything but "Master Bruce". "Sir," he continued on, "I've picked up some rather… disturbing reports from the police scanner," he paused, "The police are saying that the Batman has killed five men including Mr. Dent. Commissioner Gordon has ordered you to be brought into custody. Care to explain?"

I sighed. Of course Alfred has already heard about my "killing spree". How should I explain this to him? Usually I just tell him the basics so he doesn't worry. He may pretend that he can handle my "night-life" with ease, but he can't fool me. I know that he forces himself to stay awake at all hours of the night just to be sure that I arrive home safely. I think of Alfred as a father, and I know that he sees me as the son that he never had.

"Sir?" he asked again, concerned. Oh, I must have lost my train of thought.

"Alfred…they're right," I replied, "Well, they're partially right. I didn't kill anyone but Dent. He was holding Gordon's family hostage though. I couldn't just watch as he shot Gordon's son! I had to do _something_!" I stopped ranting and took a breath to calm myself. "Gordon and I came up with the cover story that I killed those men so that Gordon's name wouldn't be tainted. I didn't want to kill him… Heck I didn't want to even take the blame! But…but the citizens of Gotham need a White Knight, so I'll have to live with it."

The silence after my mini-speech was deafening. The only sound came from the growl of the batpod's engine. I think that the realness of this situation was finally starting to dawn on me. I had killed a man. Oh my…

"Sir…" Alfred began hesitantly, "if I may say so, you did the right thing."

"No Alfred! I shouldn't have killed him!" I growled, "There's always another way! If only I wouldn't have played opossum-" I was cut off by a mildly angry Alfred.

"What do you mean you 'played opossum'?" he asked in a low voice.

"Joker… he got to Dent," I replied in a pained voice, "He played with his mind and made him believe that by killing the loved ones of those who hadn't saved Rachel, he would have his justice. Gordon and I tried to convince him that he shouldn't take his revenge out on the innocent, but on those responsible. At first, it seemed to be working, but then he pointed his gun to his head and pulled out a coin. After he flipped, he pointed the gun away from himself and directed it towards me. When he flipped the coin this time though, it must have landed on the 'wrong' side," I said darkly, "because he shot me."

I listened to Alfred take a deep breath on the other end. "Did the bullet pierce your armor, Sir?" he asked calmly.

"Not exactly," I replied, "It slipped through one of the cracks in my suit. I guess this is what Lucius meant about being more careful." My attempted humor did nothing to stop Alfred's questioning.

"What are your other injuries?" he demanded.

Sighing again, I replied, "I have a broken arm, a few broken ribs, bite marks from Joker's dogs, and one heck of a headache." There was no need to tell him about the lead pipe.

"Master Bruce, I know that you won't agree to this, but I must insist that you receive medical treatment from the hospital," Alfred said sternly after a few moments of silence.

This seems to be what my instincts were telling me when Alfred called. (You know, my instincts that we our conversation would end in an argument that I would inevitably lose.) It was a sort of unspoken rule that I was to not go to the hospital for any injuries in order to protect my identity. Besides, Alfred was a medic in the military for some time; his skills were enough to fit my needs of being 'patched up'.

"Alfred, you know that I can't go to a hospital. Too many questions would be asked! What would we tell the press when they ask how Bruce Wayne received his gunshot wound, or his pipe-shaped bruises? Do we tell them that I had another polo accident with an old western show down theme?" I asked in disgust. I. Hate. Polo.

"Pipe-shaped bruises, Master Bruce?" an angry Alfred asked. Dang it! How did he get me to tell him about that?

"It's nothing, Alfred. I –" Everything stopped just then as the world around me began to look fuzzy. I groaned and parked my batpod into a nearby alley. I clenched my eyes shut and sank down against the alley's wall. My gunshot wound must be causing me to lose an excessive amount of blood loss. Hopefully, I'll be able to make it back to the cave before I pass out.

"Master Bruce!" Alfred's alarmed voice once again rang through the ear of my cowl. In those few seconds of weakness, I had forgotten that he was listening in. My chances of winning this argument just went from thirty percent to two percent.

"It's just a bit of blood loss, Alfred. I can handle it until I get back to the cave," I assured him.

"Once you get to the cave I am taking you to a hospital. You need professional medical treatment! You may be bleeding internally, or perhaps when you were shot the bullet severed an artery. That would explain your rapid blood loss. Please, Master Bruce, don't make me have to deal with losing you, too." Alfred's normally smooth voice cracked at the end of his mini-speech. That was the deciding factor for me.

"Fine," I grumbled, "I'll go to the hospital."

"_Thank_ you, Master Bruce," Alfred sighed in relief.

With a grunt, I used my good arm to push myself up from the garbage laden ground of the alley. "_But,_" I said as I mounted myself back on the Batpod, "I'm going to need a change of clothes, _and_ you need to remove the bullet so that fewer questions are asked." _Hopefully I'll be unconscious by then, _I thought with a grimace, _Bullet removals always hurt like heck. _

"Of course, Sir," Alfred replied, "I'll also create a cover story for your misfortune. Your line snapped while you were spelunking, perhaps?"

My lips curved up just slightly. "It could happen, Alfred. Besides, Bruce Wayne is a clumsy guy."

"That you are, Sir," Alfred chuckled. "Oh, and Master Bruce?" he asked.

"Yes, Alfred?"

"Please try to stay conscious until you at least get to the cave. You're heavier than you look," he deadpanned.

"I'll try to, Alfred. Wait, are you calling me fat?" I teased while revving the Batpod.

"Of course not, Sir… although you could lay off on the doughnuts," he said, "They aren't very healthy you know."

**A./N. Love it? Hate it? Too short? Review and let me know! Please don't flame me though :( I'm not very fond of fire. By the way, I'm a very unpredictable updater. My next update could be in a week or in a month so either add this story to your story alert or check in regularly. Review!  
>~batfangirl<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**A./N. I'm back! So, how long has it been? A month? Anyways, I finally updated! I'd like to thank the reviewers. You guys are the reason I continue to write. Also for those of you who are still reading this, thank you! By the way, have any of you watched Titanic in 3-D? I did and cried like a baby :'(**

**Nausicaa of the Spirits: Sadly, this story will not go through The Dark Knight Rises =( Sorry. It's just that I don't know exactly what's going to happen in the movie, so I don't want the story to be inaccurate. Thanks for the review though!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Batman Begins/ The Dark Knight.**

Making it back to the cave was difficult to say the least. While I was resting in the alleyway after getting light headed, the police had begun to catch up with me. Thankfully, my Batpod is a lot faster than a police car. I also almost swerved off of the road after another spell of light headedness. However, Alfred's voice in my ear always kept me conscious.

"Just a little further, Master Bruce," he would softly urge. "Don't give up now, you're almost here."

My arm felt like it was on fire, my ribs ached, and my head felt like someone was taking a jackhammer to it. "Just a little further" and "almost there" seemed a million miles away, but I pushed forward. Concentrating my mind on a soft bed and Alfred's homemade cookies, I ignored the pain of my injuries and continued on to the storage yard where my 'cave' was… for the time being. Actually it was more of a bunker, but seeing as I'm a 'bat', I call it my cave. Although, I can't wait until the manor is rebuilt so that I can have my old cave back.

Eventually, I made it to the storage yard and slowly made my way towards the entrance to my cave/bunker was. Alfred was waiting for me at one of the storage crates with a worried look on his face. The moment I swung myself off of the Batpod, he was there, supporting me and the machine. Slowly, we made our way inside of the pitch black crate. Soon after we entered, I could feel the familiar descending of the floor beneath us.

Bright light broke the darkness as the floor lowered us into the bunker underneath of the storage yard. After the floor stopped moving, Alfred carefully stabled the Batpod and half-dragged me over to one of the cots in the medical bay area of my hideout.

He helped me onto a cot and gently began to remove my armor, piece by piece. The full extent of my injuries was revealed as each piece of the suit was removed. Bruises were scattered across my ribs; sometimes they over-lapped. My right arm was twisted at strange angle and the skin seemed to be painted purple, black, and blue. The bite marks weren't as bad as I had initially feared; they would just need some stitches. The bullet wound, however, wasn't exactly a pretty sight. Blood covered my torso and parts of my suit from blood loss. The bullet had buried itself deep enough to show now torn muscle tissue.

I faintly heard Alfred give a small gasp before yet another wave of dizziness hit me. This time, my fuzzy mind didn't clear. Black spots were beginning to cloud my vision and my eyes were drooping. The blood loss is finally getting to me.

_At least I'll be unconscious for the bullet removal, _I thought with a groan before my world faded into an unfeeling darkness.

* * *

><p><span>Alfred's Point of View<span>

As I removed my master's armor, his bruise infested skin was revealed. My stomach curled when I saw the tale-tell signs of broken bones. His arm was limp and bent at an unnatural angle and his ribs were not only horribly bruised from this _Joker's_ pipe, but they were pushing again the skin of his chest; obviously they were broken. The bite marks from Joker's dogs weren't as worrisome as his other injuries, but I would have to treat them immediately for fear of infection or rabies. Then there was the bullet wound. I gasped at the sight of it. Master Bruce had explained to me on his journey home that Mr. Dent had used a simple hand gun to shoot him. Obviously the hand gun wasn't as simple as he had believed.

On impact, a bullet made a sort of _explosion, _I suppose. It is the reason why they are so deadly. It is also why such small bullets can cause such large damage. This impact causes the size of the bullet to expand in size as if it were a fluffy pancake or a balloon suddenly filling with air. The bullet that Master Bruce had received must have been a fairly large pancake.

I could see muscle tissue from where the offending object had torn through his skin and buried itself deep within his chest. Luckily, Mr. Dent hit the upper-right section of his torso and not the area around his heart.

Suddenly, I heard a faint groan. Looking up, I saw Master Bruce's eyes begin to roll into the back of his head before they drooped close. His rapid blood loss must have caused him to faint. The poor lad… Well at least he'll be unconscious for the dreadful surgery. I know how he hates bullet removals.

As I worked on disinfecting Master Bruce's major injuries and removing the bullet in his chest, I began to think of a cover story for his injuries. Polo won't do; he absolutely hates the sport. Street racing won't work either. Neither will bungee jumping or skydiving. Wait a moment… jumping... diving. _Cave diving._ Spelunking! You never know when you cord may snap, and there are some fairly sharp and large rocks at the bottom of a cave. We could use the height of the 'fall' as an excuse for some of his broken ribs and his broken arm – of course he had already fallen from a five story building from what information I have gathered.

I carefully stitched Master Bruce's bullet wound and his bite wounds. If the doctors had any suspicions or questions about those injuries, I could think of something fairly easily later.

After stitching for half an hour, I cleared the area around Master Bruce's cot and quickly grabbed some of his old gear from when we first explored the original Batcave. Along with an extra pair of clothes, I dressed my master in his gear.

As I turned to retrieve the Rolls Royce, I heard Master Bruce whimper in his unconsciousness. Turning around, I gazed down at the man whom I considered the son that I never had. I leaned down and pressed a fatherly kiss to his sweaty forehead and began to walk towards the Rolls again.

* * *

><p>Once I had Master Bruce loaded in the back seat of the car, I sped off towards the hospital. Luckily the police were too busy chasing Batman to notice that I was running every stop sign and exceeding the speed limit to a point of danger. I'm sure that I was given quite a few middle fingers for cutting many of the other drivers off, but at this point, I didn't really care. All that matters is that I get Master Bruce to the hospital.<p>

The large red letters that read "East Gotham General" couldn't come into view soon enough. I have had to drive a longer distance seeing as Gotham General was blown to pieces by Joker.

In record time, I made my way to the Emergency Room entrance and parked the car. Master Bruce would be too heavy for me to carry him into the E.R. without further injuring him, so I would have to call for assistance.

I ran into the main entrance and immediately made my way towards the front desk where a red haired receptionist sat talking on the phone.

"Miss," I attempted to state calmly. She looked up at me and held up one finger to signal me to wait and went back to talking on the phone. _She must have a very important call, _I thought sarcastically.

"…and then she was all like, 'I don't know why he wants to date Stephanie! He's too good for her! And blah, blah, blah,'" I heard her say into the receiver.

"_Miss_," I said a little more forcefully.

She sighed loudly and said, "Listen Katie I have to go. Some old guy is being annoying." Hanging up, she finally turned to me. "What do you need?" she asked rudely.

"My Master is out in his car with serious injuries and is in need of immediate medical attention. So if you please, send out some medics so that he can receive treatment," I stated in a rather annoyed voice.

"Yeah, whatever," she said rolling her eyes. "Hey can I get a gurney and a few paramedics!" she called over to a group of people standing near the entrance.

Instantly, one of the people – a dark haired man with glasses – rolled a gurney over to the desk and asked, "What's the emergency?" Well, at least _someone_ in this hospital was professional.

The receptionist answered him in a bored voice, "Yeah, this old guy here says that his 'Master' is in his car and needs to be taken care of."

The man narrowed his eyes at the woman. "Erin, I suggest you be a bit nicer to the people that come to this desk. For all you know, this man's 'master' could be Bruce Wayne and he could report you for being unprofessional," he said lowly.

At that moment, I felt the need to step in. "Actually," I said, "my Master _is_ Bruce Wayne. Also, he is suffering from several broken bones and quite possibly internal bleeding, so please retrieve him." At that, both of their eyes widened considerably.

"Take me to the car please, Sir," the paramedic ordered softly. I led him out of the E.R. at a quick trot with a few other medics and those in the waiting room (along with the receptionist) gaping after us.

**A./N. Love it? Hate it? Let me know! It took me a while to write this due to many after school trips, so I'm sorry for that. Also, I'm sorry if it seems so short. Don't worry, the next chapter will be longer :) Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A./N. Hello my lovely readers! I was a bit disappointed that my last chapter only got two reviews when a gazillion of you viewed the story =( Oh well, let's do better this time! Every review I get means that I update quicker and write longer chapters. (For me, longer is like 2,500 words seeing as how I normally aim for 1,500 at the very least.) Anyways, I hope that you enjoy this chapter, because I actually enjoyed writing it! =)**

**Disclaimer: Do I look like Bob Kane or Christopher Nolan to you? Nope! Therefore, I do not own the character Batman or the movie(s) Batman Begins/ Dark Knight. Bummer.**

I faintly heard the sound of voices as I came to. My eyes cracked open and I saw the backs luxurious leather seats. The voices were becoming clearer and louder with each passing second. With a groan, I turned my head upwards…towards the ceiling of a car. I must be at the hospital, but where is Alfred? With that thought, the door next to my head opened and cold aired filled the car.

"Master Bruce?" It was Alfred. "I have some medics here who are going to lift you out of the car so that you can receive treatment."

"Okay," I grimaced. Great, the lifting is going to bring pain with it.

A man with dark hair and a large plastic board with handles and straps leaned into the car and said, "Hey there, Mr. Wayne. I'm going to try to slip this board under you so that lifting you out won't hurt you as much. I need you to sit up just slightly so that I can slip the board under you." I obeyed and lifted my upper body up an inch. My ribs were straining and I'm sure my face was contorted into a mask, but as long as they gave me morphine soon, I'd suffer through it.

The man – Justin according to his nametag – slid the board under me the moment I lifted myself up and told me that I could relax. He then slid the board down the rest of my body and strapped me in. Grabbing the handles, Justin began pulling the board and me out of the car. Several other medics grabbed the other handles, and together they lifted me onto a gurney. After strapping me onto the gurney (again), they began jogging towards what I assumed to be the entrance of the E.R.

I somewhat heard Alfred explaining what had happened. My mind was still a bit fuzzy, but I could briefly make out the words "spelunking" and "cord snapped". It was a good cover-up…at least if he was talking about my cord snapping while spelunking in a cave with a sheer drop off and some rocks at the bottom.

The sudden bright light of the Emergency Room caused me to groan softly and squeeze my eyes shut. I still have that stupid headache. Darn you insomnia!

I tried to turn my head to see where I was going, but my neck brace made that entirely impossible. Wait a minute. I have a neck brace? When exactly did they put that on me again? Wow, I really am out of it. Anyways, I moved my eyes to the sides the peer over the edge of the gurney. Instantly, I returned my eyes back to the faces of the medics and the ceiling, because literally every head in the room with pointed in my direction.

Great, just what I need: more publicity.

A bright light was shining in my eyes as the medics wheeled me through the doors to what I assume is the Operation Room. "He has a concussion!" I heard someone yell. Oh, it was one of those mini-flashlights that doctors carry around. "Mr. Wayne, you're going to have to stay awake, okay?" the same person told me.

I just grunted in response.

The rest of the process is difficult to remember. I know that one of the surgeons in the O.R. said that I had internal bleeding. There was also a morphine drip, thank God. Then, there was this foggy sensation in my head; it was as if I were in a realistic dream. One of the doctors jabbed a syringe in my arm causing me to give a small gasp of surprise and brief pain. It must be a sedative, because my mind was quickly fading into unconsciousness.

The last thing I remember was a pair of big green eyes and a soft, feminine voice saying, "You're going to be just fine."

* * *

><p><em>Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. <em>Ugh. What _is_ that annoying sound?

I slowly opened my eyes to a white room. The air smelled sterile and slightly chilly. I looked down and saw and I.V. stuck in my wrist and a large black cast on my right arm that started at my finger and ended just below my shoulder. My ribs were wrapped tightly and my left leg was slight elevated on a pillow at the end of the uncomfortable bed that I was on. My ankle had a brace on it, indicating a sprain. Oh… I'm in a hospital.

Looking over slightly, I saw a panel of buttons on the side of the bed and… someone's hand? My eyes followed the hand to an arm. Following the arm was the shoulder, then the neck, and finally the mystery person's face.

Mystery person was beautiful.

She was checking my I.V. with great concentration and wore a nurse's uniform and hat. From what I could see, her hair was pulled back from her heart-shaped face in a casual, yet professional, bun. It was blonde, too, but not bleached like most girls that I know. It was a more natural color with what looked like a few highlights to give off a better luster. Also, instead of a spray tan, she had a very light, natural tan.

Her lips were slightly parted and her eyebrows were pulled together in concentration. I felt strangely giddy when I thought about her paying attention to me. Finally, long lashes framed her large green eyes.

Green eyes.

With a sharp intake of breath, memories came flooding back to me. I remembered Harvey falling, driving back to Alfred, Alfred tending to my injuries, the voice that I heard and the eyes that I saw before I was sedated… everything.

The woman looked up at me quickly with surprised eyes. When she saw that I was awake, she gave a little gasp of her own, but quickly recovered from the surprise with a smile and a look of relief. "Good afternoon Mr. Wayne. I'm your nurse, Elizabeth Scarlet, but you can call me Lizzy," she said in a soft voice. "How are you feeling?"

I thought about her question. It could be taken two ways: physically and emotionally. Physically I was sore and my right arm felt extremely stiff – probably due to the cast it was in – but I would live. Emotionally…my mind was shot. All I can remember is killing Harvey Dent. I broke my one permanent rule: to not kill. It was an accident, but it still doesn't change the fact that my actions cost another's life, and that was unacceptable.

"I feel…" I struggled for the word to describe my physical and mental wellbeing without making her suspicious, "overwhelmed."

She let the clipboard that she was holding clatter onto the table next to my hospital bed and sat down on the edge of a chair. "I'd say you do!" she agreed, "It's nerve-wracking to have you wire snap when you're spelunking. Although I've never been spelunking so I wouldn't know." She smiled sheepishly, blushed a light pink, and tucked a strand of hair that had fallen from her bun behind her ear.

The action was…cute. Huh, who would've thought that Batman would think of someone as cute?

"Yes, it is quite terrifying. However, can I ask a few questions?" I asked her.

"Yes, Mr. Wayne, of course," she replied.

"First thing's first," I started, "How long have I been here? Oh, and just call me Bruce. Mr. Wayne sounds to business and professional-like." That made her blush again. If I'm stuck here for a long while, I'm going to have to find some more ways to make here blush.

"Sorry," she apologized. "Anyways, you've been here for about three days. You weren't in a coma or anything, though, so don't worry about that. The surgeons just had to sedate you so that your body could begin to heal properly before disturbed by movement." Well that made sense, but three days? What has happened to Gotham sense then? Now that Batman is the enemy, has the crime rate risen? Or have the criminals hidden now that they believe that I will kill.

Lizzy was looking at me expectantly. Oh right! I was supposed to be asking her questions. "Umm… how long am I going to be here?" I asked.

Lizzy got a thoughtful look on her face. Her index finger came up to rest on her jaw as her eyebrows scrunched together and her eyes looked toward the ceiling. "I'd say about two weeks at the least, three and a half weeks at the most," she finally said.

I groaned. "Two weeks at the _least_?" I hate hospitals. The beds are stiff, the food is too healthy, and there's _no privacy_. As a child, I was thrilled that my father was a doctor so that I wouldn't have to go to the hospital for broken bones. I've seen the security cameras here. I have yet to expose the security here – not enough evidence. However, with hacking into the hospital's security system, I have discovered that there are cameras inside of the hallways _and_ the patients' rooms. Talk about unethical.

"Sorry, Mr. Way- I mean Bruce. It's just a necessary precaution that the hospital has to take to ensure your health. Believe me; I don't want to have to make you stay here for so long," she apologized.

"It's okay," I grumbled, "Can you please just have them bring me _real_ food. No offense, but hospital food sucks." I'm pretty sure I was pouting like a five-year-old, but at the moment, I didn't care.

Lizzy laughed at my expression and nodded. "I'll try to bribe them into bringing you real food, don't worry," she assured me while laughing.

I smiled. Even her laugh was beautiful; it was a little loud, but it was free-spirited. Alfred would love this girl.

Alfred… "Lizzy, where's Alfred, my butler?" I asked quickly. He knows that I'm okay, right?

Seeing my concerned look, she answered me back just as quickly. "Alfred is here in the hospital waiting for you to wake up. Actually, I think we should wait for him to wake up," she smiled as she gestured to a spot behind me.

There, asleep in a reclining chair with a white pillow under his head and a thin white blanket over him, was my faithful butler and friend. Who would've thought that I would see the day that Alfred sleeps in a recliner? Where's a camera when you need one?

"He really does love you, you know," she whispered, looking at Alfred with a warm smile. I looked at him, too, and agreed. He never gave up on me when I disappeared for seven years or when I went into depression when my parents died. The old man had always been there to pick me up and put my pieces back together.

"Yeah," I whispered back, "I know."

**A./N. I was so not expecting it to end there! I'm so unpredictable that I can't even predict myself o.O By the way, there's this little link below this author's note that says 'review'. You should click it! It's full of wonderfulness (remember conversation in the author's note at the top)! Review =)**

**~batfangirl**


	4. Chapter 4

**A./N. Sorry it's been so long since I updated! However, I did write a chapter that's about 1,000 words longer than my usual ones. Hopefully that'll make up for it! Anyways, I won't be able to update for the next week or so =( I have to get my wisdom teeth cut out. The good news is, seeing as I'm already on summer break, I have about three months to continue updating! Hope you enjoy this chapter! Also, thanks to those of you who reviewed =)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman Begins/ Dark Knight or any of the characters.**

Lizzy and I talked for almost half an hour before she realized that she had to make her rounds. As she walked out of the door to my room though, she promised to see that I get some _real_ food during my stay here. She also promised to come back to talk to me. That promise made me feel much happier than it should have, leaving a slight goofy smile on my face after she left.

She is so _real_! She talks about interesting things, like whether or not _gurple_ (combination of green and purple) should be a word. Yes, she is a bit quirky, but I find it endearing and cute. I seriously need to stop using the word 'cute'; it could kill my inner reputation. Besides, Batman isn't supposed to think anything is cute, or endearing, or beautiful, or so completely interesting that thinking about it for hours is okay. And I could think about her for hours if I wanted to.

No. I need to do away with this infatuation that I seem to have on Lizzy. If I let her get to close – if I actually develop deeper feelings for her – she could get hurt. She _will_ get hurt.

I can still be her friend though right? Yes, that's what I'll do! It can't hurt to have a friend or two – a real friend, not those idiots who act like they want to be my friends. And perhaps when Gotham doesn't need Batman anymore, I can pursue a relationship beyond friendship.

My smile widened at the thought of having a relationship with someone. God knows that I've longed for female company. You can only take solitary for so long you know.

Alfred chose that moment to wake up. I suppose I shouldn't say he chose that moment seeing as he had no say as to when he would actually wake up, but he really did wake up at a bad time.

"Master Bruce! You're awake! How do you feel? Should I call for your nurse? Are you…_smiling_?" he asked in shock.

I quickly sobered up and answered with a blunt, "No." No need to have him suspicious of my feelings. "Oh, and Lizzy, the nurse, has already been in to check on me. She left about five minutes ago." I saw Alfred's eyes go from a knowing look (one that I am beginning to hate) to a stern one.

"Why did you not wake me? It would have been quite nice to be informed of your wellbeing you know," he grumbled. I laughed at him because Alfred _never_ grumbles.

"Now you're laughing, Master Bruce? The world is coming to, as the children these days put it, a zombie apocalypse," Alfred deadpanned. For some reason, this made me laugh harder. Just hearing Alfred, my old English gentleman of a butler, say 'zombie' and 'apocalypse' in the same sentence pushed me to loud guffaws. "I do have hundreds of stories worth of blackmail on you, you know," Alfred said while blushing.

That shut me up. Alfred gave me a smug look. "Now, about your nurse, when did you start calling her 'Lizzy'?" he smirked. Stupid, observant, stubborn, old man…

"When she asked me to," I replied, willing the blood away that was threatening to go to my face. Alfred raised an eyebrow. "What?" I asked warily.

"Does Miss Elizabeth catch your interest Master Bruce?" he asked.

"No!" I replied quickly – too quickly. Alfred gave me another look. "Well…yes. How couldn't she, though? She's a very bright, intelligent, and sociable young woman," I said, defending myself.

"And," Alfred began, "she is quite lovely as well, isn't she Master Bruce." I began to splutter and blush under Alfred's gaze and his smirk from earlier returned with full force. "So?" was all that I came up with in reply.

"So… you seem to be harboring a little 'crush' on Miss Elizabeth. Wonderful!" he beamed. I felt my face go red despite my efforts to retain the rush of blood to my cheeks and neck. The old man never fails to make me lose a hold of myself. "Alfred," I grumbled. He had the nerve to chuckle at my embarrassment.

"You know that I can't afford to develop any sort of… _romantic_… feelings for anyone right now. Maybe when Gotham doesn't need Batman I can pursue a relationship with Lizzy, but if I do now, she will only get hurt. Besides, I'm not sure what I actually feel for her. It's probably just an infatuation on my part." My mini-speech caused Alfred's cheerful and teasing expression to turn grim. "Master Bruce," he started, "I understand that you believe that Miss Elizabeth will be hurt if you develop feelings for her, but relationships are built on trust. You must trust her and yourself that even if she is harmed – emotionally or physically – you will push through that little bump in the path. As for Batman…Gotham may have a time that it does not need Batman, but will there ever be a time when_ you_ will not need him?" he asked.

I looked down at my I.V. in sudden interest. After a few incredibly long seconds, Alfred cleared his throat. Sighing I asked, "What do you want me to say Alfred? That someday I'll finally be able to retire the cape and cowl and live my life? No, I have to keep fighting. No eight year old boy should ever have to go through what I did!" My voiced cracked on the last sentence, and Alfred rushed over to my side and placed his wrinkled hand over mine.

"As true as that may be Master Bruce, you have to let yourself be happy. Your parents wouldn't have wanted to see you put your life on complete hold and deny yourself any sort of comfort. They would be proud – and worried – of your nightly activities, but they would want you to be happy as well," Alfred said softly.

Tears were threatening to form as I looked up at Alfred – the man who has raised me as his own. "How can I be happy when there are others who are hurting, Alfred?" I asked. Alfred leaned down and gently pulled me into an embrace. "Even those who are hurting find happiness, Master Bruce," he whispered.

A small gasp alerted me of a newcomer's presence. I looked over to the source of the noise and caught sight of Lizzy, frozen in the doorway with a hint of a smile on her lips. "Did I come at a bad time?" she asked, bringing her clipboard up to her chest to hold on to.

"Of course not, Miss Elizabeth," Alfred said with a smile while pulling away from me. "I was just finishing my lecture to Master Bruce about why he should have woken me once he had regained consciousness."

Lizzy gave a bright smile. "Now Alfred, part of that was my fault; I distracted him with a conversation. Besides, we didn't want to wake you! That was the only time you had slept peacefully since you've been here! And how many times have I told you to call me Lizzy? 'Miss Elizabeth' is entirely too formal and it makes me feel like my old Language Arts teacher from sixth grade." At her last sentence, Lizzy gave a small which Alfred and I laughed at.

"I apologize for making you feel like an old sixth grade Language Arts teacher, Miss Lizzy," Alfred apologized. Lizzy gave a mock glare.

"You're still putting 'Miss' in front of my name, but I suppose we're getting somewhere with it. Anywho! I just stopped in to see how you two were before I finished my rounds! See you in about twenty minutes!" she said. With a wave, she was gone.

Alfred and I were silent for an immeasurable amount of seconds until he spoke. "Master Bruce, I'm begging you to court her. She actually calls me by my name instead 'Butler' like some of your other fake lady friends," he said.

I rolled my eyes. "I'll be her _friend_ Alfred. Friendship is all that I can afford to go through with right now… especially since Rachel is dead," I said in a sad tone.

Alfred's face softened. "Of course, Master Bruce, I understand the situation. Perhaps, though, Miss Lizzy's friendship can help ease the pain of Miss Dawes's passing." And with that, Alfred patted my hand and walked back over to the recliner he had been sleeping in earlier.

* * *

><p>Shortly after the discussion I had with Alfred about Lizzy and Rachel, another nurse walked into my room with a cart. There was a tray sitting on top of the cart with what looked like lunch on it. The nurse flashed a smile at me. "Here's your lunch Mr. Wayne. Can I get you <em>any<em>thing else?" she asked while setting the tray on my lap. I didn't fail to notice the double-meaning in her words and internally rolled my eyes.

"No thank you. You may go," I stated in as polite of a voice as I could muster. The nurse gave a small pout, but winked and left the room with a sway of her hips. Once she was fully out of the room, I snorted in disgust and humor at her actions. Alfred seemed to agree with me according to the look he gave me.

Turning my attention to the tray, I assessed my meal. A sandwich. They gave me a sandwich. My glass contained water and a straw. Scrunching my nose, I opened the sandwich and checked the contents. With a huff, I placed the sandwich back on my plate. It's peanut butter and jelly, and I'm allergic to peanuts.

"Is that all that they served you, Master Bruce?" I heard Alfred ask. I nodded and looked at him with a grimace. "It's peanut butter and jelly, isn't it?" he asked. Again, I nodded and frowned. "I specifically told the staff to not serve you anything that contained peanuts! I'll go speak with the kitchen," he assured me.

Alfred stood up, picked up my tray, and walked out of the room. I huffed again and crossed my arms over my chest in another pout. Well, I tried to. I ended up hissing in pain as my arm and cast came in contact with my broken ribs.

My heart monitor began to pick up the pace in its _beep_ing as little bursts of pain shot across my chest. Eventually, the pain died down and the monitor's _beep_ing slowed down into its regular pace. Stupid peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

I took a good look around the hospital room as I waited for Alfred to hopefully come back with some food that wouldn't cause my face to get puffy and my throat to close up. There were two darkly tinted windows in the room that had no locks or ways of opening them. I guess the hospital doesn't want anyone jumping out of the windows. There was a small table to my left that had a phone, clock, and a vase with a red rose inside. The clock informed me that it was 12:04 P.M. I sighed and continued to examine my room. White tiles… grey walls. All in all, the room looked boring. In the right corner of the room, where two walls and the ceiling meet, there was a small flat-screen TV. I glanced back at the clock. 12:07 P.M. Another huff. Only three minutes have passed. I leaned my head back on the stiff pillows behind me and closed my eyes. Maybe a short nap would help me pass the time.

Just as I was drifting into unconsciousness, I heard a small whimper. Immediately I opened my eyes and looked around the room – no one. My eyes narrowed. I hadn't imagined that whimper. "Hello?" I called out. Just seconds later, a small head poked inside my room. "Hi," the head said. The small body of a little girl soon followed the head. "I'm Madison," she said with a hesitant smile.

I gave her a small smile in reply and motioned for her to come on into the room. She slowly walked a little further into the room before running to the chair that Lizzy had been sitting in earlier. She boosted herself onto the chair with her arms and turned around to face me. Madison's eyes were a little red and puffy as if she had been crying. She didn't show any sign of crying in her body language though. "Who are you?" she asked in a high soprano voice.

"I'm Bruce," I replied. She nodded thoughtfully with a finger on her chin. Finally, she said, "I like that name."

I smiled a bit wider at her statement. "How old are you Madison?" I asked. She looked to be about five or six at the most. "I'm five!" she exclaimed proudly while holding up five fingers. "See? I'm a whole hand full!"

Laughing I agreed, "You are aren't you?" Nodding she began to look me over. Every time her eyes passed over one of my injuries, her little mouth turned down at the corners and her eyebrows scrunched together. She carefully slide off of the chair and walked around to the other side of my hospital bed to look at my other injuries.

"Mr. Bruce?" she asked sweetly. "How did you hurt yourself so much? Were you in a car crash like my momma? The mean people in the long white jacket things said that car crashes can hurt someone really bad." She then leaned in as if telling me a secret and whispered, "They said that sometimes people's boo-boos are _fatal._ What does fatal mean? Daddy and the mean people that made him cry won't tell me."

My heart broke for this little girl. It sounds as if her mother has been the victim of a car accident with injuries that may be fatal to her. These "mean people in the long white jacket things" must be the doctors in the hospital. I hate having to tell people bad news, but first things first. "Well Madison, I was actually spelunking. That's just a big word for cave diving. Anyways, when I was jumping from a really high place in the cave, the cord that was holding me broke and I kept falling." I purposely left out the meaning of the word 'fatal' hoping that Madison would forget that she even brought it up.

"Oh, well that sounds really scary. Were you at Mammoth Cave? My momma and daddy took me there last year! It was huge – like this!" She stretched her arms out as wide as she could.

"No, I wasn't in Mammoth Cave. There are a few caves just outside the city that I used," I explained to her.

"Oh," she said with a slightly calmer tone. "Hey, you forgot to answer my question!" She pointed an accusing finger at me. "If you didn't look so hurt, then I would poke you!" Her expression and statement made me laugh. "Now, what does fatal mean?"

I felt my face fall. "Well Madison. When someone has a fatal injury, it means that they might not wake up when they fall asleep." I tried to put it as gently as possible. She had a confused look on her face. "Like in one of those things called a coma?" she asked.

"Well, sort of but not really. When you're in a coma, you have a chance of waking up. When you have a fatal injury then… you go join the angels like my momma and daddy," I said softly. Madison gasped and tears came to her eyes.

"You mean my momma might die?" she cried out. The next thing I knew, small arms were wrapped around my neck – avoiding some of the tubes at least – and Madison was sobbing with full force.

I rubbed her back awkwardly with my good arm and tried to console her. "There, there. The doctors didn't say that your momma had fatal er… _boo-boos_ did they?" Madison sat up, sniffed, and shrugged.

"I don't think so. They said that they weren't sure if her boo-boos were fatal or just serious," she said while hiccupping.

"See?" I said, clinging to that fact, "Maybe your momma is going to be okay." Madison stared at me with red-rimmed eyes and nodded her head. "Yeah, you're right," she agreed.

"Of course I am. Now… how did you get in my room? Are you lost?" I asked. Madison nodded sheepishly.

"I was looking for my mommy's room, but I couldn't remember the number. Your door had a number that looked like it so I came in here," she explained.

"Well," said a new voice, "I guess it's a good thing I can find your mommy's room for you!" We both looked up to see Lizzy smiling in the doorway. Madison looked back at me questioning whether or not she should go with Lizzy. I nodded and unwrapped my arm from around her so that she could jump back down to the floor and follow Lizzy. "I'll be right back, Bruce!" Lizzy called on her way out.

"See you in a few," I called back quietly.

**A./N. I know that he may not be allergic to peanuts, but oh well. My storyline, my decisions. So how was it? Let me know in a review! All you have to do is press the button down there! \/\/\/**

~batfangirl \/


	5. Chapter 5

**A./N. Yeah I know it isn't as long as my last chapter, but then again, you guys only gave me two reviews -.- Anyways, I hope you like this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Batman Begins/ Dark Knight. Duh.**

When I walked into Bruce's hospital room after I had finished my rounds and saw that little girl curled up in his arms, I was – at first – alarmed. What if she's upsetting his bandages and ribs? Are his tubes and I.V. still in place? I had quickly looked over and his injuries to be sure he was still okay. Once I was sure that he was uninjured (aside from the obvious injuries from _spelunking_ – as if I believe that story), my alarm was replaced with a warm happiness. He was rubbing her back as she cried into his neck. I vaguely heard the words "momma", "fatal", and "boo-boos" from their conversation. Then, I heard Bruce ask the little girl if she had gotten lost.

"I was looking for my mommy's room, but I couldn't remember the number. Your door had a number that looked like it so I came in here," she had explained. It was then that I had decided to announce my presence.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing I can find your mommy's room for you!" I said cheerfully. Both the little girl's and Bruce's heads shot up in surprise. The little girl eyed me warily and looked at Bruce as if to receive the "OK" to go with me. Bruce gave a small nod and unwrapped his arm from around the girl. She bounced over to me and took my hand hesitantly. Turning to leave I threw Bruce an apologetic look and called out, "I'll be right back Bruce!"

Although we were already out of the door, I could have sworn I heard Bruce say, "See you in a few."

At the nurses' station I was able to locate Madison's – I had finally learned her name – mother's hospital room. I tried to hide a frown as we made our way to the Intensive Care Unit. The poor thing looked to be six years old at the most and she was already experiencing a tragedy.

As we walked slowly down the hallway to the elevators, little Madison tugged on my hand to make me look down at her. "Miss Nurse?" she asked softly.

"Call me Lizzy, Sweetheart," I told her with a smile. Madison blushed and muttered an apology before continuing, "Is Mr. Bruce going to be okay? He looks like my mommy, but my mommy has a few more of the big tubes and wire things. He said that he fell from somewhere really high up… but I don't think he did."

I stopped in the middle of the hallway to bend down to Madison's height. "Mr. Bruce is going to be just fine. He'll be here for a while though so that he can get all rested up," I said. Madison hesitated to think before nodding in acceptance. "Now," I continued while picking her up, "Why do you think that Mr. Bruce didn't fall?"

Madison bit her lip. "His voice just seemed a bit different when he was telling me what happened and his eyes got bigger just like mine when I try to lie," she said with a blush. I laughed at the cuteness of that action.

"Madison, have you ever considered becoming a detective?" I asked her. She was a perceptive little thing.

Her eyes lit up and she gave a little squeak. "Like in Blue's Clues?" she asked brightly.

"Yes," I said to her, "just like in Blue's Clues." She smiled at me and threw her little arms around me. We continued talking about her detective skills on the way to the ICU. When I handed her over to her father, he gave me a short "Thanks" and a cold stare and walked away with a firm grip on Madison's arm. Before they disappeared into her mother's room, she turned her body towards mine and gave me a little wave. With a jerk on her arm, Madison's father pulled her into the room.

With narrowed eyes, I started making my way back to Bruce's room to tell him what had just happened. I don't particularly like that little jerk on Madison that her father gave her. Even the short "thanks" that he said to me made me cringe a little inside.

* * *

><p>"He <em>what<em>?" asked an angry Bruce. I had just told him what had happened with little Madison and her father. As it turns out, he isn't very happy with her father either. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before trying to sit up further.

Quickly, I settled him back down. "What do you think you're doing Mister?" I asked angrily. He ignored me and continued to try to get out of the bed. Once that didn't work, he tried removing his IV and oxygen tube. "Bruce Wayne! You are _not_ getting out of this hospital bed in your condition! Stop trying to get up or I'll sedate you," I said glaring at him.

He looked at me for a moment before settling back and slumping his shoulders. "I have to do something. How can a man be so rough with such a sweet little girl like Madison? Do you think something is going on at home? I swear if he's hurting her, I'll be at his throat before you can 'lawsuit'." He looked expectantly at me then. "Well? What do you think?" he asked.

"I don't know if Madison's father is hurting her or not, but I still don't like the way that he handled her. I know that it wasn't anything too rough, but it still irks me," I grumbled. "I mean even when the man thanked me I got chills." I shivered and wrapped my arms around my body while thinking back at my brief contact with Madison's father.

A grumble brought me out of my thoughts and I looked over at Bruce with a questioning look only to find him looking down with a slight ting of pink in his cheeks. "Sorry," he mumbled, "I haven't eaten yet."

A little bout of anger flooded through me. Had room service forgotten to deliver to this floor _again_? That's it, I issuing a complaint. "Did room service forget to serve you lunch?" I asked.

Bruce shook his head 'no' and frowned. "They served me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and water, but Alfred took it back because I'm allergic to peanuts," he explained. I face palmed and gave him an apologetic look. Poor, poor man; he can't even be served a meal here without almost suffering an allergic reaction. This is yet another reason to issue a complaint.

"I am so sorry," I said, voicing my apology. "First, I'm sorry for the small lunch that they had the nerve to serve you. Today the cooks were supposed to be making corn, macaroni and cheese, and pork. Secondly, I'm sorry for the almost allergic reaction. We aren't even supposed to serve food with any type of peanut product due to the increasing peanut allergy such as yours. And third, I'm sorry that Alfred had to go all the way down to the kitchen to retrieve a different meal for you."

"Not to worry Madam. I needed a little exercise. All of this sitting has made me stir crazy," Alfred's voice said. I looked at the door and saw the said man with a tray in his hands. I shot up out of the chair I had been sitting in and took the tray from him. "I'm so sorry Alfred! You didn't have to carry this all the way up here! You should have informed one of the nurses so that they could have taken care of it, or even me. It is our job after all," I apologized.

Alfred gave me a warm smile. "It is my job as well Miss Lizzy. Besides, I couldn't have a lovely young lady such as yourself carrying out such a dull task." He looked at Bruce and gave him a smug smile saying, "I also had to teach at least half of the kitchen staff how to prepare a proper lunch, Sir."

"I knew there was a reason that you weren't back sooner," Bruce laughed. I placed the tray on his lap and slumped back down into the chair that I had been sitting in. Bruce took a look at his meal and gave a happy sigh.

"Thanks Alfred. This looks much more appetizing than what I had before…and more like what they were supposed to serve me according to Lizzy here," he said nodding in my direction. He went to pick up his fork until he realized that his fork-holding hand was wrapped in a cast. With an annoyed huff, he grabbed the fork with his left hand and – shaking slightly – he scooped up some of his macaroni and cheese. Alfred and I waited in silence as Bruce ate his meal. It didn't take too long until he was complete with all of his meal except for the pork.

"You don't like pork?" I asked.

He gave me an embarrassed look and laid down his fork. "I can't cut it with one hand," he mumbled. I gave a small giggle at his put off expression and reached over to cut his pork for him.

* * *

><p><strong>The Day After Bruce Is Discharged From The Hospital<strong>

Yesterday, Bruce was discharged. Sure I'm happy that he can finally leave this place, but I can't help but be kind of sad about it. He was a pleasant person to talk to, and despite what the tabloids said, he didn't try to get in pants. That actually kind of surprised me seeing as he has a reputation for being a billionaire playboy who enjoys taking multiple dates to parties and is known to have a different girlfriend every other week. I mean sure he did a bit of friendly flirting, but like I said, it was _friendly_. It kind of makes me think that his whole 'playboy' image is just that: an image. A façade. The only question is: Why? Why would he want to project that image to the rest of the world?

"Lizzy."

Hmmm, maybe I'll ask him the next time I see him. He's supposed to come in for a check-up in about two weeks, so I guess I'll ask him then.

"_Lizzy_."

He really is a nice guy, and his butler is just a sweetheart!

"Elizabeth Scarlet!"

"Ow! What Mandy?" I asked. Mandy was one of my fellow nurses and one of my few friends. We had met on my first day as a nurse at Gotham General just a year ago – she was the only one nice enough to show me around. Most of the other nurses hadn't really liked new comers in their little group of gossipers. Then, of course, the Joker blew up the hospital and we were relocated here.

"You, Miss Lucky, have a…present," she said with a smirk.

I narrowed my eyes. Mandy's smirks always meant that she was planning something, she knew something that I didn't, or she had gas. "What kind of _present_ am I receiving exactly?" I asked hesitantly.

"Oh nothing much," Mandy said innocently, "just the biggest bouquet of roses I've ever seen in my life!"

"What?" I asked in shock. I'm sure that my eyes were about as wide as quarters. Roses?

"C'mon! You have to see them! Oh, and you'll _never_ believe who sent them to you," she began rambling while pulling me through the hallways and into the staffroom.

I was met with the sight of the largest and most colorful arrangement of roses that I had ever seen in my life. The colors included yellow, dark pink, peach, dark red, and white. I stood in the doorway of the staffroom in a trance. "Woah," I breathed out.

I felt a nudge from behind me. "Well go and see who they're from!" Mandy squealed.

I slowly walked towards the arrangement and picked up the envelope resting beside of them. 'Lizzy' was elegantly written on the front of the envelope. I turned it around to open it, but found that it was already opened. I huffed and turned back to Mandy. "You do know that it's a federal offense to open someone else's mail, right?" I asked.

"Oops," she replied innocently.

I rolled my eyes and removed the card from the envelope. I opened it quickly and began reading its contents.

_Dear Lizzy,_

_I know that you're not supposed to accept gifts from patients, but I just couldn't resist sending you these. If anyone asks, these roses were sent as a random gift of friendship – we don't want to get you into trouble. Anyways, I'm guessing that you're wondering why I chose these particular colors of the roses. Well, as you may or may not know, flowers used to be given as a source of messages. They all have specific meanings. In this case, the yellow roses are a meaning of friendship. You became a fast friend for both Alfred and I during my stay at East Gotham General, and I thank you for being so kind and patient with me. The dark pink and peach roses are a sign of thankfulness. Those are pretty self-explanatory. The dark red roses are a sign of beauty. When I had first woken up and I saw you, I honestly thought that you were the most beautiful women that I had ever had the privilege to see. Sorry if that makes me seem all playboyish, I just can't help myself. Finally, the white roses are a symbol of your purity and inner beauty. You're quite possibly the only woman that I have ever met who hasn't tried to seduce me. Well, I guess that's all I had to say. By the way, my cell phone number and the number for my penthouse are at the bottom of this card – so call me! Seriously, as soon as you get off of work, call me._

_Sincerely,  
>Bruce Wayne<em>

The smile on my face was quite possibly going to be a permanent fixture from this point on. I snatched my cell phone out of my pocket and added both of his numbers to my contacts list, then sat down at the table that the flowers were resting on. Mandy was already rambling happily about how lucky that I was and how she would love to receive flowers from Gotham's most eligible bachelor.

Well, I'd let her continue on we her rambling. All that I could think of though, was how much that I couldn't wait for my shift to end so that could call Bruce.

**A./N. Review! The more reviews that I get, the longer the chapter and hopefully the quicker that I update.**

**~batfangirl**


	6. Chapter 6

**A./N. Hey everyone! It's been a long time since my last update, I know. I have a good excuse though! I haven't been near a computer for weeks! Also, when I did get a chance to start this chapter, that stupid thing called a writer's block hit me with full force. Seriously, I stared at that annoying little blinking line for forever! :/ Oh well! At least I finally got through it! Oh and sorry, but this chapter is going to be a lot shorter than the others. My writer's block is to blame for that. However, after every extremely short chapter is a long one!**

**I'd also like to give a shout out to True Blackout for the best review in the history of awesome reviews! You're awesome person that I don't know yet I still think is awesome!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Batman Begins/ Dark Knight! (Man I hate these things.)**

"What if she doesn't like the roses Alfred? What if she doesn't call?" I asked worriedly. In all honesty, ever since I had sent Lizzy those roses and my note I've been a little less than composed. I just can't get her off of my mind! What if she calls just to tell me that she isn't interested in me?

"Master Bruce, I'm sure that you needn't worry. Miss Lizzy is sure to call you so that you can ask her to dinner," Alfred said. He had his infamous 'knowing look' on his face.

"Wait a minute," I said narrowing my eyes, "I never said anything about asking her to dinner."

"I've known you for all of your life, Sir. Trust me when I say that I know you better than you know yourself." Alfred placed a withered hand on my shoulder, gave it a gentle squeeze, and walked out of the room with superiority that only he could possess. I was somewhat thankful that he had left me to my thoughts, but at the same time I was a bit peeved that he left. He could have provided a conversation that would distract my mind from my worrisome thoughts.

Worrisome thoughts. Why am I so worried again? I mean it's not like I'm going to marry this girl or anything! I shouldn't even ask her out to dinner! Playboys don't go on dates that don't end in sex; except for me that is. I never actually sleep with my dates despite what the public thinks. I instead act as if I've lost interest completely and send the girls home.

Another reason I shouldn't ask her out to dinner: attachment. The Batman side of me can't afford to get attached to a woman! What if thoughts of her distract me from my nightly routines and I accidentally let a mugger rob an innocent civilian, or let a gang rape a teenage girl? Or what if I forget about the fourth thug and a bullet is suddenly implanted inside of my brain? No, Batman can't become emotionally attached to anyone. Perhaps I should just forget about asking her to dinner…

_Buzz…Buzz…Buuuzzzzz…Buzz…Buzz…Buuuzzzzz…_

I jumped in surprise at my phone vibrating in my back pocket. After taking a half second in calming myself down, I slipped the phone out of my pocket and took a look at the caller ID. It was an unknown number.

With a confused frown I pressed the 'Receive Call' button and answered the phone with a polite, "Hello?"

"Bruce?" a familiar voice asked.

"Lizzy!" I said in recognition. "I guess you received the flowers. I really hope you like them…" My voice trailed off sheepishly as I stopped myself from the rambling that was sure to result if I continued talking. There's no need to embarrass myself just yet.

"I did! They're so beautiful, Bruce! You really shouldn't have sent them. My boss was giving me funny looks all day." I heard her laugh on the other end. "Not to mention my friend Mandy was sulking because she 'never gets flowers.'"

I did an internal victory dance and gave an almost silent sigh of relief. She liked the flowers! Now for step two: Ask her out to dinner. Wait. Didn't I just promise myself that I wouldn't ask her out to dinner? Then again, what could one little dinner do? We can go out as friends. Yeah, that's right, friends.

"I'm glad that you liked them. Hey… I was wondering," I started off sheepishly.

"Yes?" she asked calmly.

"Do you want to… I don't know… have dinner sometime? I'd love to stay in contact with you. I mean, you're one of the only people that I really know who hasn't tried to talk to me or be my friend for fame and fortune and all that jazz. It's okay if you don't want to! I mean you _have_ seen me at my worst and all. Nevermi –"

"I'd love to go to dinner with you, Bruce," she said, cutting me off mid rant.

Yes! She said 'yes'! I can't wait to tell Alfred! Where am I going to take her, though? Should we go somewhere formal or casual? Does she like Italian food? Japanese?

"Bruce?" Lizzy's voice interrupted my internal anxiety attack.

"Hmm? Oh! Sorry about that. I was just trying to figure out where I'm going to take you. Do you want to go somewhere formal or casual?" I asked smoothly. Yeah, smooth.

"Do you mind going somewhere casual? I'm not very good with the whole formal thing. I mean, I don't even own a fancy dress or anything like that," she said. Her voice sounded almost self-conscious. I can't have that.

"Casual sounds great! I'm sick of formal events anyway," I said in an off tone. "Greedy, middle-aged businessmen interrupting your dinner isn't very pleasant. Trust me." I heard her sigh quietly in relief on the other end of the line.

"Thanks, Bruce," she said. "So do you have any ideas?" That's where my mind is stumped. Where in Gotham is somewhere casual to dine? I know of some _semi_-casual places.

A thought hit me. "How do you like Johnny Rockets?" I asked her. Not formal and very casual. It's the perfect place!

"I love Johnny Rockets! It's been _years_ since I've been there. I hope they still have Butterfinger shakes! Those things are freaking awesome," she said in a dreamy voice. Well that's a relief.

"Great! How about we meet tomorrow? I can pick you up at the hospital after your shift if you'd like," I offered.

"That would be perfect! I get off at six-thirty so if you could wait for me at the entrance…" she trailed off.

"Sure! Wait…if you get off at six thirty, then why were you working when I was admitted in the hospital?" I asked in confusion. It was at least two in the morning when Alfred had driven me to the ER. Why was she there so late…or early?

"Well since The Joker blew up Gotham General, patients and employees had to be transferred to other hospitals. Lucky for me, East Gotham General was packed with people to the point that we all had to work around the clock," she said with sarcasm laced in her voice. "I can't believe someone would be insane enough to blow up a hospital just because one man wasn't killed within an hour."

"Well it _is_ The Joker you're talking about," I laughed. "He's the symbol of insanity."

"Yeah, I know," she sighed. I then heard the sound of a car honking from her end. "Crap. I gotta go Bruce; my cab is here. I'll see you tomorrow at six-thirty?"

"Six-thirty," I replied.

"Good," she said cheerfully. "Bye!" _Click._

I pulled myself away from my phone and slipped it back in my pocket with a smile on my face. "Master Bruce?" I heard Alfred ask from behind me. When did he get there? Turning around, and gave him a smile and simply said, "I have a date tomorrow."

"Very good, Sir," Alfred said. "With Miss Lizzy I presume?" He carried a tray laden with tea and sugar over to the coffee table in front of me and set it down.

I nodded and took a cup of the tea that he had set down. After mixing in my usual amount of sugar I took a sip and waited for a comment that I knew was coming.

Alfred gave me a smile and sat down on the couch across from me while fixing his own cup of tea. After taking a sip, he looked up to me and with that famous knowing look said, "It's about time."

I rolled my eyes continued to sip my tea. Only Alfred…

**A./N. I told you it was short! Sorry again. The next chapter with be longer I promise! Anyways, please review! I love hearing about what you guys think =)**

**~batfangirl**


	7. Chapter 7

**A./N. Hello audience! As you may or may not know, my writer's block is gone! However…as soon as it disappeared, my sinus infection (go to my profile page for explanation about disappearance of writer's block and sinus infection) turned into bronchitis or pneumonia or something really bad like that. Therefore, this chapter was put on hold for a week or two. Then I had to stay at my grandparents' house for two days and they don't have a wireless internet signal… so yeah… Anyways, the actual date will be in the next chapter! I know I said that it would be in this one (I think I said that) but that seems to have changed. Sorry about that. Feel free to yell at me in your reviews! Also, thanks for the awesome reviews for the last chapter! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything! Just my OC character :/**

"Casual…" I muttered as I searched through my small, overstuffed closet in my small apartment. I really need to rent a new apartment. Now that I'm no longer a student I can actually afford a bigger one with hopefully a bigger closet.

Half of the clothes I owned were tossed out on the floor and my bed. For the past half hour – since I got off of the phone with Bruce – has been filled with me picking up an article of clothing, looking it over, and then throwing it into my slowly growing 'discard pile'. Nothing here works!

Huffing in irritation, I turned away from my closet and looked around my now-messy room. Articles of clothing ranging from dresses to bras to shoes covered every inch of my once very tidy room. Except for a spot at the foot of my bed where I could see the corner of a trunk sticking out. Curious, I walked over to where the trunk was a moved all of the clothing away to find piles of my old college books. _No wonder I didn't know this trunk was here, _I thought bitterly. I wonder how much these books would sell for… Instead of continuing with my internal conversation about the sell cost of my old books I carefully moved them from the trunk and stared.

I remember this trunk. I remember its alabaster wood and almost fairytale-like look. It was a gift from my mother when I had turned seven years old. You see, on my mother's side of the family, it's a tradition to pass down this trunk to the eldest daughter on her seventh birthday. I was never really sure why, but I wish that I could have asked her before she died. Before… never mind.

I ran my hand across the smooth wood of the lid and traced the designs etched into the silver metal parts on the corners and edges. Slowly, I walked over to the nightstand on the right side of my bed and opened a drawer revealing a small silver key. How had I not remembered this before? It's probably been two years since I looked through the things in there. I walked back to the trunk and slipped the key into its hole and turned it to the right.

When the soft _click_ signified the trunk unlocking, I lifted its lid and peered inside. I felt a wide smile appear on my face. My mother's favorite books and pictures littered the top of the very full trunk. I picked each and every one up and laid them gently on the floor next to me after examining them carefully.

Beneath all of the books and pictures were articles of clothing. My eyes got misty as I recalled my mother placing these clothes in the trunk. She had said to me, "When you're all grown up and you can fit in these clothes, I want you to wear them on your first date with your Prince Charming. It's what I wore when I went on my first date with your father so I consider them good luck." Now as a little seven year old girl, I still thought that boys were yucky and had told her that it would be a long time before I could wear them. My father had overheard the conversation and said, "You should be able to wear that in another forty years or so." My mother's eyes had twinkled as she laughed at both my father and me.

With a watery smile, I picked up the county styled sun dress and cardigan. My mother was born and raised in the south - right in the heart of eastern Kentucky, so most of her clothing had a country style to them.

The dress was a tad old fashioned with lace straps and a few embroidered flowers, but the restaurant that Bruce and I are going to is also old fashioned. No worries there! I held the dress close to me and silently sent a thank you up to her in Heaven.

_I don't know if he's going to be my Prince Charming, Mom, _I thought, _but you said that these clothes were good luck. Maybe…maybe he's the one that I've been looking for._

I sat there for a few moments longer before standing up and grabbing a hanger and placing the dress and cardigan on it. I then placed the hanger on a hook at the entrance to my apartment and began to pick up my mother's books and pictures and the clothes that I had thrown around. As I placed the last article of clothing back in my closet, a sudden realization came to me.

I need to find shoes to match the dress. Well crap.

* * *

><p>I woke up the next morning in bright spirits. My neighbors hadn't started their early morning argument yet, I had actually woken up on time, shoes for my dress had been found, and I didn't burn my coffee! Yeah, I'm living the life.<p>

I turned my TV on and flipped through the channels until I got to the local news. Although the news is always depressing, I suppose it's important to at least know what's going on in Gotham – especially since I work at a hospital.

As I got ready, I idly listened to the monotone of the reporter and the theme music to the news channel. "Billionaire Bruce Wayne had no comment today regarding his accident nearly four weeks ago. After falling almost fifty feet to the floor of a cave while spelunking, Gotham's favorite son was rushed to the hospital by his butler where spent three weeks in recovery. Since then, the billionaire has failed to make any appearances with any of those lovely ladies he seems to always be around. Is Gotham's playboy giving up his playboy persona, or is he simply waiting until he is fully recovered from his accident before facing a life of partying once more? Back to you, Tom."

I sighed. Poor Bruce, not even the news channels can leave him alone and let him have some privacy. "A new string of murders has erupted in the past two weeks over Gotham. With six women already dead, the police are struggling to find any clues as to who the killer is. All of the women thus far seem to be in their early to mid-twenties. There is no other specific physical aspect that seems to repeat, so ladies, be sure to carry your pepper spray and stay away from any of those infamous dark alleyways."

Another major crime spree already? It's only been like four weeks since The Joker was taken into custody and that Batman was blamed for the death of five people and Harvey Dent - if you ask me, that's a whole bunch of bologna. I mean why would you work _so hard_ to clean up Gotham and fight people like the Joker, only to go out and kill some of the most important people in the city in cold blood? Bologna.

Seriously though, what has this city come to? First, we have an almost city-wide panic due to some kind of gas last year. Then, we had an insane clown terrorizing the city and blowing up hospitals just a month ago. Now, we have a new serial killer murdering women my age for an unknown reason. I really need to move out of the city.

I finished getting ready in record time and grabbed my unused can of pepper spray along with my clothes for tonight before turning off my TV and heading out of my apartment building. Although it's only eight in the morning, the sidewalks are packed with pedestrians going to and coming from work. Street vendors were just opening their stands to the morning crowds of tourists and workers. Why anyone would want to visit Gotham is beyond me, but hey, to each their own.

With one last look at the packed streets, I began to work my way through the crowds of people to the nearest subway. I would have taken the monorail, but the monorail station in my part of the city had been destroyed in the panic last year and was still under construction.

Finally, I made it to the entrance of the subway. Quickly, I made my way down the steps without making eye contact with anyone. Unless you want to be mugged, you don't look at anyone except for the ticket seller or a cashier in one of the many small stores. I handed my money for a ticket to the woman behind the ticket seller booth. She looked to be about my age with a worried look on her face. I found out why soon after: the newspaper by her arm was covering the story on the new serial killer. The woman would be considered attractive to most, I suppose, so I guess she has a good reason to worry.

She slide me my ticket and change through the glass and murmured for me to have a good day. I gave her a small reassuring smile and walked to the subway platform where I scanned my ticket and waited for my train.

It took a few minutes for the train to get there but once it did, I slipped in and took a seat close to the door. Thankfully not many people were in the compartment with me. Just a few teenagers who I'm guessing are trying to skip school.

It takes fifteen minutes to get to the subway station next to the hospital. Those fifteen minutes are almost always filled will an awkward silence between me and the other passengers. Today was no exception thankfully. I really wasn't in the mood to try to settle an argument or stop a fight.

I did, however, get a small laugh in for the day. At the next stop, a policeman stepped in the doors with purpose and looked towards the teenagers. He raised an eyebrow at them before gesturing for them to follow him out of the train car. With slumped shoulders and annoyed looks, the teens exited through the doors with the officer. "Have a good day, Ma'am," he said to me before exiting.

Four stops later found me at the hospital entrance with my clothes folded over my arm and my pepper spray in the outer pocket of my purse – right where I can reach it. Only when I stepped through the automatic doors of the building and breathed in the scent of bleach and other cleaning aids did I relax my posture. Come to think of it, I didn't really realize how stiff I was.

As I walked towards the employee elevators I made sure I smiled brightly at every person I passed and give them a cheerful "Hello!" just like they told me to do at my very first orientation when I was a teen volunteer here. Oh how I miss the days when I was an ignorant high school student.

I clocked into my ten hour shift – thank God it's Friday – and grabbed my name badge from my locker in the staff lounge. After making sure that everything was where it should be, I stepped away from my locker only to run into –

"Hey there, Beautiful."

Jeremy.

"Good morning, Jeremy," I tried to say as politely as possible. It pained me to not come up with a retort, but sadly I have to be professional. Jeremy is East Gotham General's very own 'player'. Well, that's what he likes to believe. Ever since I was transferred here he's hit on me and my fellow nurses. It's quite annoying.

"What do you say to grabbing some dinner with me this evening after our shifts? Then maybe we can go to my place and… socialize," he said suggestively.

"Look, Jeremy," I said trying to squeeze past him, "it's not that I don't like you or anything, but I'm not interested. Okay? Besides I'm already having dinner with someone this evening. Now if you'll excuse me." Again, I tried to squeeze by him.

"What?!" he yelled in disbelief and I internally sighed. This is going to be a _long_ ten hours.

* * *

><p>For the last fifteen minutes of my shift, I got ready in the women's restroom. My nurse's uniform was replaced with my mother's dress and cardigan along with a pair of leather flip-flops. I pulled my hair out from my usual bun and let it fall down to my mid back in loose, natural curls. I applied just a small amount of make-up to my eyes to brighten them up a little. Finally, I was finished.<p>

After clocking out, I quickly made my way down to the ground floor and out the automatic doors to the outside entrance of the hospital. My uniform was draped over one arm and my purse was latched safely onto my shoulder. With a frown, I realized that I didn't know what kind of car I was looking for. Pulling my cellphone from my purse, I dialed Bruce's number and waited as it rang.

On the third ring, he answered with a, "Hello?"

"Bruce, it's me. I'm outside of the hospital entrance, but I need some help. I don't exactly know what kind of car you're driving," I explained. I heard a brief laugh on the other end.

"I see you. Okay, look to your left," he instructed. Looking left, I saw nothing but grass and a large fountain. "No, your other left," he said.

I rolled my eyes. "That would be my right, not my left," I huffed.

"Right," he replied. "Now, look for a sliver Mercedes." Again, I did as he instructed.

"There's about three of them…no…four. Just drive up to the entrance you lazy bum," I said with a laugh. With a 'hmph' and a "Fine" Bruce hung up the phone and I saw one of the Mercedes pull out of its spot and make its way to me. I'm pretty sure that my jaw had dropped at some point because eventually Bruce rolled down the passenger window and said with a small smirk, "Are you getting in now or tomorrow?"

I rushed over to car and opened the door – the wing kind! – to hop in. After closing the door and putting my seatbelt on, I looked at Bruce with a playful glare. "I thought you said that this dinner was going to be casual," I teased.

"This is the most inconspicuous car that I have." Yeah, because a Mercedes Benz is 'casual'. "Besides, I can't exactly drive a motorcycle with a broken arm – and I'm sure that you wouldn't want to ride on one of those anyways," he said. Oh yeah, I forgot about his arm… I'll have to ask him how he is later, but first…

"Whatever you say Mr. Wayne," I replied with an eye roll. "Now get us to Johnny Rockets! I'm starving. I almost had to skip lunch because of one of my very annoying coworkers you know. He tried to ask me out to dinner first. Then, I had to explain to him that I was already going to dinner with you and he's been annoying me all day." I sighed dramatically and looked over at him. He had a smile on with face and his shoulders with shaking with quiet laughter.

"Oh, now I know you're not laughing at me," I said with a dangerous tone.

He glanced over at me a broke out into loud laughter. "It's hard not to! You're funny when you ramble. It's very endearing in my opinion," he said with a warm smile.

I blushed and mumbled, "You'll think endearing when I break your other arm."

Ignoring the threat, he just laughed at me again.

**A./N. Love it? Hate it? Let me know! Just type your review in the big box down there! You know you want to O.O Doo it… Review!**

**~batfangirl**


	8. Chapter 8

**A./N. Okay, I know that this chapter is really short, but I was in a hurry to give you guys _something_ to read. School started so I've been pretty busy. (Look at profile for full explaination.) Anyways, I'm glad that I got at least this complete! By the way, go watch Holy Musical B tman! (Again, look at profile for explaination.) I liked the reviews! Then again, I always like reviews. No...I love them! Yeah...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Batman Begins/ Dark Knight/ Dark Knight Rises or Johnny Rockets or their menu or any Batman characters!**

Lizzy and I teased each other the whole way to the restaurant. The strange thing about though, is that it felt natural to tease her. The action didn't seem forced, and I wasn't reluctant to make conversation with her. Our conversation was light and open to anything. For the first time in my life, I didn't feel awkward talking to a date.

I was forced to drive with one hand and the wheel thanks to my cast. It didn't worry me too much, but I could help thinking of what would happen if it caused me to wreck the car and hurt Lizzy. Maybe I should have let Alfred drive.

"Is your arm feeling any better?" Lizzy asked after about a minute of silence. The work crowd was letting out and the way to the edge of the city was extremely crowded.

"It doesn't throb, so I guess that's a good thing," I replied. She smiled and leaned her head back to close her eyes.

"So Mr. Gotham's Prince, how do you plan on avoiding the paparazzi once we get there? You know that they'll flock to the restaurant once they catch wind of us being there," she asked. I have to say that she had a point, too. In all honesty, I hadn't thought about the paparazzi situation. I hope that Lizzy isn't labeled as just another romantic conquest.

"I suppose," I started, "that we'll have to deal with that once it happens. I have no idea what to do with those vultures. Maybe we can convince them that I'm trying to be a one-woman man now." I added a wink with my answer.

Lizzy giggled and nodded. "I'm sure they'll believe that, Bruce. Don't worry. If the tabloids make me out to be just another one of your flings it doesn't bother me. Petty gossip is stupid and pointless in my opinion," she said. She has managed to shock me again.

"Are you sure you don't care if they think of you that way? I can honestly sue the whole lot of them for slander if you want me to. Besides, I don't want you to be just another fling. You're too good of a person for that, Lizzy," I said while glancing over at her. It was just a few more blocks to the restaurant.

"Is Gotham's Playboy Billionaire losing interest in his lifestyle?" she gasped in mock horror. "Whatever will the tabloids gossip about now?"

I grimaced at her. "The press will still find a way to expose my life to the world. Trust me," I grumbled. She gave me a curious look.

"So you really are trying to become a one-woman man?" she asked. I looked at her as I parked the car in the mid-sized parking lot near the restaurant. (I'm pretty sure that this area of Gotham is the only spot with parking lots instead of garages.)

Nodding to her I replied, "Yeah, I guess I am. It would sure make social gatherings less awkward." I knew that I wouldn't be able to pursue anything with anyone though. My Batman persona makes sure of that.

I quickly got out of the car and walked around to her side to open her door. After helping her out of her seat and locking the doors, I offered her my good arm which she took with a roll of her eyes. "You are really into the gentleman thing, aren't you?" she asked.

I blushed and ducked my head slightly. "Yeah, it's how my parents and Alfred taught me when I was younger," I responded. She smiled and nodded.

"I can definitely imagine Alfred teaching you how to act like a gentleman. It's surprising that you didn't turn out like a British prince or something like that. Hey! We never finished our discussion on whether or not I should hi-light my hair!" Lizzy looked up at me with an accusing stare. I opened the door and gave her a look of disbelief.

"And how is that my fault exactly?" I asked. She made a pouty look and poked me in the shoulder.

"Maybe it's your fault because _someone_ just _had_ to be discharged the day that we were talking about it! I mean, I know that hospital beds suck and that the food needs more taste to it and all, but how could you leave me like that with the vultures of nurses wanting to know what it was like being your nurse. They asked so many awkward questions, too," she grumbled.

I held back a laugh as I patted her hand lightly with my bad arm. We walked up to the podium which read: "Please Wait to Be Seated." Wow, I haven't been in one of these restaurants in a while. The tables looked like old hotrods from the fifties and sixties. The entire restaurant was designed to look like an old school diner; the look was passed well with all of the retro decoration and old records.

A short, teenage girl walked up to the podium with a large smile plastered on her face. "Hello! Welcome to Johnny Rockets! Table for two – oh my gosh! You're Bru–!" her voice was cheerful and peppy… and loud. As soon as she began saying my name, I motioned for her to stay quiet and whispered, "I'd rather people not know that I'm here. Being harassed by the press isn't exactly something my date and I would enjoy. Oh, and yes, we would like a table for two, please."

Her jaw was still a little slack, but she snapped her mouth shut, put a serious look on her face, nodded, and grabbed two menus. "Smoking or non?" she asked a little less peppy. Wait, what does 'smoking or non' mean?

"Non," Lizzy answered.

The girl smiled brightly and led us to a table a bit further away from the other diners so that I wouldn't be recognized as easily. Lizzy and I smiled in thanks and sat at the table. The hostess informed us that our waiter would be with us shortly and that she would pass along that I didn't want to be recognized.

We sat down in our seat and picked up the menus that the hostess had left. Why is everything so much cheaper here than other restaurants? It's not like they use any different ingredients or anything. Maybe those fancy restaurants I usually make public appearances in are ripping society off. I'll have to have a word with the managers of the restaurants I own about the prices of the meals served.

"What are you getting?" Lizzy's voice interrupted my thoughts.

I looked at the menu again and scrunched my eyebrows in confusion. There was even a brief description and picture of each meal. "Umm… I'm not sure. I guess I'll have a Garden Salad," I said with a shrug.

Lizzy stared at me blankly for a moment before asking, "Are you sure that you're American? A Garden Salad? Really? No, no, no. You're getting the Smoke House Double! You need something with more beef Mr. Healthy-Eater."

I raised an eyebrow. She raised one in return. We entered a short staring contest which I gave up after she started glaring. "Fine," I huffed, "I order something full of carbs and calories that with probably give me a heart attack in my near future."

Lizzy leaned back and gave me a triumphant smile. "Darn right you will," she said smugly.

"Ahem," someone coughed. Lizzy and I looked up to the amused eyes of our waiter. "I take it that you know what you're ordering then?" he asked. Lizzy nodded and motioned for me to order my sandwich of eminent death.

"I'll have the Smoke House Double," I grumbled. The waiter nodded and wrote down my order on his notepad. "And to drink, Sir?" he asked.

"A water, please," I replied. Lizzy glared at my healthy choice and stopped the waiter from writing down my choice of drink. "No, he'll have a strawberry milkshake. Right, Bruce?" she asked in a don't-argue-with-me tone.

I gulped and nodded. Beside me I could hear the waiter snickering at my expense before asking Lizzy for her order. After taking a moment to decide, she eventually ordered something called a Rocket Single and a chocolate milkshake.

The waiter nodded again and placed his pen and notepad in his shirt pocket. "If you two need anything else, my name is Joshua. All you have to do is give me a yell," he said before walking away.

"You are a strange woman Lizzy," I said quietly. She turned to look at me with a questioning expression. I smiled and answered her silent question. "Not in a bad way. It's just that you're different. You don't mind eating unhealthy food, you'd rather eat out somewhere casual for a date rather than somewhere overpriced and full of stuffy people, and you can actually make me listen to you. Not even Alfred is _that_ effective, you know."

Lizzy blushed and bowed her head slightly. "You're quite strange yourself, Bruce. Not many billionaires are willing to go out to a casual restaurant for a date. Not to mention, not many men build up the reputation of an airhead playboy only to not be one at all. You're actually quite intelligent. Why do you act as if you are not?" she asked.

I sighed and leaned back in my chair. This woman is too observant for her own good. "I guess that acting as if I have no private life allows me to have one. That and I don't really let people into my life, so it's better to act uninterested anyways," I answered.

"You let me in," she whispered.

"I know. I wonder if that's a dangerous thing though, Lizzy. We all have…_secrets_. Not all secrets are small either," I said. Her eyes widened in surprised and her mouth turned down into a frown. She reached her hand over to mine (the one not in a cast) on the table and placed hers over it.

"Maybe someday you can tell me when you've resolved the issue," she said with a small smile replacing her frown. I turn my hand around to grasp hers. I gave her hand a small squeeze and nodded.

"Maybe," I agreed. It probably wouldn't be anytime soon though, especially with this new serial killer on the loose. Hopefully, Lizzy won't be targeted by the maniac.

"Okay, let's move to a happier subject!" Lizzy exclaimed brightly. "How's Alfred?"

I rolled my eyes and answered, "Talking about you. I swear he won't shut up about you. He keeps saying things like, 'She really is a fine young lady, Master Bruce,' or, 'I wonder if we'll ever see her again. I do hope so.' It's almost maddening. Wait a moment… I think he was doing that on purpose to set me up."

Lizzy laughed and squeezed my hand. "He's just trying to help you. It's very sweet actually. You'll have to thank him for me," she said. I nodded and continued to talk to her about pointless subjects that were somehow still interesting. The whole time, she didn't let go of my hand.

(Line Break)

**Unknown POV**

I watched as the girl laughed and conversed with that stupid playboy. I sneered at their joined hands and happy faces. No matter though, she would be mine eventually. Kidnappings happen all the time in Gotham. Sometimes the victims aren't found alive, but that's okay. I'm simply relieving these girls from the horridness of a society that expects them to be perfect. There's nothing wrong with that, not is there?

**A./N. Oooh. Suspense! Love it? Hate it? Let me know in a review! Reviews make authors happy, you know! And when authors are happy, we tend to continue our stories! Also, feel free to give me ideas in your review if you want to. I want to know what you guys want to see in this story! Review :)**

**~batfangirl**


	9. Author's Note

**A./N. Hey everyone! I'm not exactly back from my unannounced hiatus. Sorry about that by the way. School kind of got in the way of my writing…sophomore year really sucks. Anyways, I was just looking through my account when I noticed this on my review page:**

_**FYI 11/7/12 . chapter 1**_

_**You are a retard. CU doesn't invent any rules.**_

_**Yeah, I found you thanks to a stupid review you left encouraging some idiot girl who is breaking the rules.**_

_**Don't flame you? You deserve it for being such a stupid waste of space.**_

…**.**

**Ok…so I'm usually a very calm person… But seriously, what the heck?! I'm pretty sure a CU member (even though I kind of forgot who the heck the group is… What does CU even an acronym for? Eh, I forgot…) is the one who posted this pleasant review seeing as it was anonymous and it highly supports the group. Therefore, if it was a CU member (and if it wasn't then I apologize to the group for assuming that it was), you just broke one of the many rules you are enforcing! Now I remember! I was protesting the cruel ways that some of the members were trying to use to make people delete stories that broke the rules.**

**Look anonymous reviewer person, if I offended you in some way then I'm sorry, but you could at least have been nice about this whole thing. I mean seriously? A retard? A stupid waste of space? Do you honestly think I haven't been called that before? Also, it's a lot coming from someone who seems to support the whole "let's enforce the rules" group. If I'm correct, one of the rules regarding reviews says:**

_**Everyone here is an aspiring writer. **__**Respect your fellow members**__** and lend a helping a hand when they need it. Like many things, the path to becoming a better writer is often a two way street.**_

**Even if you aren't a member of this site, you are expected to follow this rule. This is why I was against the group. Actually, it wasn't even the group! I was just against the members who were overly cruel in their criticism and their harshness about taking stories off of the site. I'm all for following the rules of this site and enforcing those rules, but I'm not a bully like you are. I take a more private approach and tell someone that they are breaking the rules through a private message. I don't put it that bluntly though, I offer them help if it's a grammar mistake. If it's something like a story about real life people, I suggest FictionPress or even a fan site about the people that they are writing about. I don't try to upset them or show my non-existent authority over them. Instead, I tell them what's wrong so that they don't get in trouble and get kicked off of the site, because everyone here deserves a chance to write.**

**So please Anonymous Reviewer, show some respect to me, the other members of this site, and to yourself.**

**Sorry if I wasted someone's time! This was just something that needed to be done. As for when this story will be continued, hopefully in the near future! I'll have to read over it again and try to remember what I was going to write about next ;) I should start working on another chapter soon!**

**~batfangirl**


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